Tuesday, November 27, 2007

reports on two fronts

The first, and most significant, is that tomorrow at 3:00 we close on the sale of the property where we live. Tomorrow at 4:00 we close the house we are purchasing for our next home. A LONG time coming, but it is finally here! Great relief. Of course, then the work of packing all our acquisitions over the last 28 years begins in earnest. There is some work to be done before we can move into our next home so we will probably be moving in early January.

The second report is that I have been a bit active in the studio. I've been just dabbling there recently but did spend Sunday and Monday making a more concerted effort at making at least a kiln load of new work. Today I got a request for a special order so that gave a new impetus to my time in the studio. It felt good to have a real goal in terms of work. And I felt good about what I was able to accomplish--though I almost always like my work when it is still in the wet greenware stage!

Today Doug Fitch mentioned his catch of sprig molds and had a photo of a bowl of his favorites. That stimulated me to make some--which I've been intending to do for some time. So this evening I carved about 9 of them. I carved mine in plaster. I don't know why I chose that in stead of carving into clay. I think the clay will last longer. So if I like any that I have made I may reproduce them in clay later.

I expect to sleep better tonight than I have been sleeping recently. Unless I am ready to start worrying about all the work to do between now and the move! Maybe I can postpone those worries a bit...

3 comments:

potterboy said...

Gay - good good luck tomorrow - I shall be thinking of you and crossing any crossable extremity in hope that everything goes to plan. I'm sure it will. It sounds much more definite than it would over here (where things can go wrong right up to the last minute, and even past.)

Funny you should mention Doug's sprig molds. I'd always intended on doing something like he does - I did try it on a large jug once - but I bought a large bit of round wood which I thought I'd saw into bits and then carve in to. I guess that's the really difficult way to do it, though. Oh well.

I also tried taking moulds of things with plaster of paris, to act as sprig generators but I've never managed to turn one out yet. For example, I love the lion heads and faces on old bottles and would love to give that a go. I remember seeing a demo of them doing it at wedgwood, and it looked so easy...

Do remember to give us an update tomorrow, if you can.

Ron said...

Gay, Congrats on the closings. I know you are much relieved. The new pots you have acquired are really wonderful. I love the tripod feet on the pre-Columbian pots. And how great to have a Harding Black. I still have the video by the way. Will you please email me your mailing address so I can get it back to you. I have misplaced that info.
Good luck with all the upcoming packing!

potterboy said...

And? What happened? All ok?